1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed technology relates to a packaging crate for preferably mostly two-dimensional items, with an adjustable and reusable crate design. The proposed disclosed technology is a modular crating system, made up of interlocking members, that provides a rigid packaging crate that is both adjustable in size, and reusable.
2. Related Art
The safe and secure shipping/transportation of mostly two-dimensional items, like pictures, paintings, and mirrors for example, is frequently accomplished with a packaging crate. Packaging crates prevent damage from storing and moving items during shipping. Packaging crates currently are often customized on-the-spot from lumber by carpenters to contain and constrain the unique shape and size of the item to be shipped. Some pre-fabricated packaging crate frames are adjustable in size or shape.
A common approach for the adjustability of a pre-fabricated packaging crate frame has been to contain an adjustable, inner frame inside of a rigid, nonadjustable outer frame. This “frame-within-a-frame” design often takes up an excessive amount of space due to the need of having an oversized standard, pre-fabricated external frame to contain the smaller customized interior frame. The limitation of this approach is found in the inefficient size of the external frame. Having a larger exterior frame than is necessary, for example, prevents most efficient use of space in the shipping vehicle.
Another approach to an adjustable packaging crate frame is to have sides that adjust in length, sliding past the corners of the frame. When the sides of the frame extend out past the corners, the excess length is cut off to minimize the frame shape which is crucial for efficient packaging. However, once excess length has been cut off a frame perimeter, these “cut-to-fit” crates cannot be reused for the shipping of other items with a larger shape or size. This provides a limitation to the life span and reusability to this style of packaging crate.
To date there has not been an adjustable packaging crate that is both adjustable and reusable for the shipping of preferably mostly two-dimensional items. The proposed disclosed technology addresses this need, providing a packaging crate that can adjust in size, taking up as little space as needed, and also self-contains in incremental adjustments, without needing to trim
away any of the then excess frame length, thus preserving the crate's ability to be reused for the shipping of other items with a larger shape or size. The disclosed technology provides a packaging crate that can be adjusted in size and reused without regards to the previous or the next crate configuration. Instead of using an external frame to support an internal adjustable frame, or a frame that is “cut-to-fit”, and trimmed away as needed, this disclosed technology uses modular components that interlock, each with adjustability, that allow for multiple configurations to accommodate for numerous different shapes/sizes of the item to be shipped. After use, the instant packaging crate may be conveniently unlocked, disassembled, conveniently stored in small volume, and reused many times.
Thus, the subject packaging crate allows for adjustments in size to fit the item being shipped, and does so without the need for trimming away parts of the packaging crate, thus preserving its ability to be reused and customized for the next item to be shipped. Additionally, the ability of the subject packaging crate to be disassembled allows it to be shipped and/or stored in a low-volume space. This is a great advantage in the shipping and transportation business where space is highly-valued. This disassembly also allows for convenient reuse and recustomization, ease of transportation, and lowered delivery costs for the consumer.